The motion, filed in St. Louis County Circuit Court on Monday, said the Oct. 4 suit against Clark didn’t meet the criteria for defamation, saying “mere hurt feelings or words exposing one to ridicule are not defamatory.”

The initial lawsuit was filed after Clark said on Aug. 2 on WGNU-AM radio’s “The King and the Ripper Show,” he knew “for a fact” that Pujols used steroids and performance enhancing drugs. He called Pujols “a juicer” and made similar on-air comments three days later on a local radio show accusing the three-time NL MVP of using steroids.

In the motion, Clark’s attorney Albert Watkins says the term “juicer” could have multiple meanings, including “one who liquefies fruit and fruit pulp for oral consumption.”

Clark, who played for the Cardinals from 1985 to 1987, and his co-host, Kevin Slaten, were later fired.

The Oct. lawsuit says Clark’s comments are lies that have damaged Pujols’ reputation, causing him humiliation, mental anguish and anxiety. It calls the statements “malicious, reckless and outrageous falsehoods” and said Clark’s firing and the show’s cancellation don’t go far enough.

Clark, who played 18 seasons for five teams, was the Los Angeles Dodgers’ hitting coach from 2001-03. He said on the air that Pujols’ personal trainer Chris Mihlfeld disclosed that he “shot up” the young player and also offered Clark steroids. Mihlfeld, who also worked for the Dodgers at the time and first met Pujols as his junior college coach, has publicly denied those accusations. The suit references a Mihlfeld statement that Clark’s allegations are “simply not true.”

On Aug. 10, Clark tweeted: “I completely stand by the story I told 8 days ago about conversations 13 years ago w/ Mihlfeld. He will never admit it.”

Soon after Clark’s comments, Pujols adamantly denied using performance-enhancing drugs, citing his desire to be a role model for his five children and the necessity of being “the athlete to carry the torch and pave the way for other innocent players” by challenging Clark in court.